Nutrition for Everyone

Nutrition Basics

Do you ever feel like you can't keep up with the changes in technology? Sometimes it seems that way with dietary advice, as if things are always changing. While it's true that the fields of diet and nutrition are areas of evolving research, there are some basic concepts you can keep in mind. By knowing these basics, you will be better equipped to sort through nutrition research and dietary advice.

Food Groups
You may have grown up with the "Basic 4": dairy group, meat group, grain group, and the fruits and vegetables group. As nutrition science has changed, so have these food groups. This section helps explains food groups and provides some healthy eating plans.

Water: Meeting Your Daily Fluid Needs
Water is is involved in every function of the body. It's in every cell, tissue and organ of the body. In this section you'll learn why getting enough water everyday is important for your health.

Dietary Fat
Whether you're looking for information about monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, saturated fat, trans fat, or cholesterol, you'll find what you need here.

Carbohydrates
You may be wondering what all the hype is about carbohydrates or "carbs" as they are often called. Find out the facts.

Protein
Then there's protein. How much do you really need? Can you get too much? You'll find answers to these questions and more by visiting this section.

Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamins and minerals are nutrients your body needs to grow and develop normally. The NIH Vitamin and Mineral Supplement Fact Sheets provide information about the role of vitamins and minerals in health and disease.